Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Molly Frendo
CEP 900/932
Dr. Koehler and Dr. Roseth
August 3, 2010
Research Development Paper 2
developing the skills and knowledge of youth-serving volunteers and staff. Educational
technology has proven to be successful in a classroom setting and for some professional
development purposes; however, less is known about how hard skills can be taught and
online volunteer community can improve outcomes and satisfaction. I seek to better
understand what motivates volunteers to participate in virtual communities and how this
hope to study new trends in virtual volunteering and the role of technology in civic
engagement.
and virtual community development to study virtual volunteering and the role of
technology in civic engagement for youth and volunteers. More specifically, I am focused
this participation may lead to a deeper connection to service organizations, and how
interests to my present one, the biggest thing I notice is that my research interests have
become more focused. I am still interested in all of the things mentioned in my initial
statement. This precision sometimes causes a small amount of anxiety; it makes me afraid
that I have cut something critical from my RDP. I am working on being mindful that I
will be able to gain knowledge in those areas by focusing on the goals mentioned in my
final statement. My final statement more succinctly pulls together my interests and
This process has made it clear that I will continuously need to remind myself that
the most successful research has a specific focus and to try to examine too many factors at
once will lead to a lack of clarity and an inability to isolate variables that may or may not
show causal relation. Doing this will require an intentional shift, as the practitioner in me
has become accustomed to making several changes at once if an attempted effort is not
successful after a few tries. Practitioners are more accustomed to relying on intuition;
research requires clearly stated rationale and that changes be made methodically so that it
is clear what changes have made a difference. Reading for my RDP has both helped and
hindered this process. The ideas I encountered have inspired me to try new techniques in
my own work, but I also know that I need to be very intentional before doing so in order
to effectively evaluate the changes. Doing this will make me not only a better researcher,
apparent that I will need to combine research from experts in the fields of volunteer
Some experts in the field of volunteer management include Milton Boyce, Sarah
Rehnborg, Mary Merrill, and Susan Ellis. Milton Boyce’s 1971 research on leadership led
to the development of the ISOTURE model, which is held in high esteem by the nation’s
land grant universities. ISOTURE stands for identify, select, orient, train, utilize,
recognize, and evaluate. This model provides a comprehensive approach for working
effectively with volunteers. Any work I do with volunteers is approached from the
standpoint of the ISOTURE model; therefore, any process I implement online will need to
encompass it. Dr. Sarah Rehnborg is a lecturer at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the
University of Texas in Austin and the associate director of the RGK Center for
Dr. Rehnborg studies public sector volunteerism and the assessment of organizations
working with volunteers and national service members. Her work will be invaluable as I
look for ways to evaluate the impact that participating in a virtual volunteer community
has for the volunteer and the organization they serve. Mary Merrill was an international
consultant and trainer on the subject of risk management for organizations working with
volunteers before her death in 2006. Her work is widely influential in the field of
subjects. Specifically, her work will be important in my own because risk management of
Research Development Paper 5
virtual volunteers is a key issue to consider. If we are not able to directly provide face-to-
environment that minimizes the potential damage he or she could do in serving a client or
representing an organization. Finally, Susan Ellis is the president of Energize, Inc., which
those working in the field. She has written twelve books about issues pertaining to
volunteer management and edited the Journal of Volunteer Administration for six years.
Additionally, Ellis’ current work focuses on exploring virtual volunteering and the role of
the Internet in supporting volunteers. She co-developed the Everyone Ready program,
which is used nationally by staff in land grant institutions and others to teach volunteer
developed by Punya Mishra and Matthew Koehler to see if successfully translates to the
technology, pedagogy, and content area in relationship to one another and encourages
educators to practice at the intersection of these areas. TPACK supports the idea of
finding the appropriate technological tools to fit the pedagogical approach used to teach a
translating face-to-face methods of training and supporting volunteers into virtual ones
online setting.
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Rheingold has been faculty at both Stanford University and the University of California
Berkley. His work is the base for a wide expanse of knowledge on the ways in which
virtual communities can bring individuals together. Rheingold’s work will inform the
ways in which I consider virtual communities and their role in developing civic
engagement. Robert Putnam’s work on social capital will also prove invaluable as I work
to better understand how technology impacts citizenship and civic engagement. His article
and book Bowling Alone discusses the declining social capital present in current society;
both Putnam’s work and the work of his critics will be invaluable as I consider the ways in
which new technologies are capable of promoting civic engagement and social capital
Annotated Bibliography
sought articles that discussed virtual communities and the development of civic engagement and
social capital through those communities and online volunteering or service learning. Many
interesting and provocative articles, books, and commentaries emerged; out of those, I selected
these six to be the ones I focused on to gain a better understanding of the scholarship that has
been conducted to date about my research interests or similar areas. Throughout my process, I
did not find research that specifically discussed interactive virtual volunteer communities that
enhanced the experience and support of face-to-face volunteers and created new volunteer
Bers, M., & Chau, C. (2006). Fostering civic engagement by building a virtual city. Journal of
This article focuses on the development of civic engagement in adolescents using Zora,
which is a three-dimensional virtual environment. In it, youth are encouraged to design their own
city, structure their society and its values, and engage in civic conversations with one another.
This pilot study utilized both qualitative and quantitative data. Researchers coded the interactions
of twelve youth (ages 11-17) who volunteered to participate in the workshop over nine sessions.
Data were coded according to civic actions and civic discourse. The researchers define
participation in civic actions within Zora as creating hero/villain objects and adding values to the
community’s definitions. Civic discourse consisted of civic dialogues (conversations) and civic
deliberations (debate and arriving at consensus). The authors rank civic deliberations at the
highest level of civic engagement in Zora. Though the authors acknowledge that their sample is
exceptionally small and not especially generalizable, the data indicate that Zora has a great
potential to serve as a safe space online for youth to engage in conversations about civic
participation. Through this online community, youth had an opportunity to define their own
values and beliefs while also learning about the values and beliefs of the other participants. They
were able to gain a richer perspective and build empathy for others and build a common
community with diverse opinions. This exploratory study helps to lay the ground work for future
research connecting the civic engagement education of youth in a virtual setting to see if there is
a positive correlation to civic engagement offline. Additionally, the authors suggest that future
research could determine if adding an adult facilitator could enhance the positive youth
As I consider my own work, this research is relevant because it speaks to the potential of
online communities to promote civic engagement. According to the Project on Civic Reflection
engagement through the process of civic reflection are more satisfied with their experience.
Further, the authors point to some key questions I would like to explore more in my research:
how do individuals create a virtual identity that allows them to feel “present” in the community?
How do we create shared goals and move forward with group agendas in an online community?
What is the democratic process like in an online community? I had not considered the
development of artifacts and discussion of heroes as potential ways to encourage civic dialogue.
This study’s sample was focused on adolescents; I wonder if this approach would be successful
with adults. My current work on virtual civic reflection has been primarily through the
discussion of text, video, or current events. If adults were given the opportunity to create these
“objects” before proceeding with text-based civic reflection, they might have a better
understanding of one another and therefore create a more substantive dialogue. Additionally, this
article pushed me to consider the ways in which youth could be engaged in non-formal
experiential educational opportunities that promote active citizenship and civic engagement.
Bers, M., Beals, L., Chau, C., Satoh, K., Blume, E., & DeMaso, D. (2010). Use of a virtual
In this article, the authors discuss the use of Zora as a platform for a virtual community
populated by pediatric transplant patients. Their goal was to create an environment where
patients could decrease feelings of isolation, learn about their medical treatment adherence, and
share their stories. The mixed method study analyzed measures of central tendency to quantify
Research Development Paper 9
community participation and coding of data provided during chats, home visits, and phone
interviews. Many participants in the study described an increased sense of normalcy, enhanced
self-concept and ability to contribute to the community, and an expanded social network. The
virtual community was carefully monitored by researchers and project coordinators to ensure
safety of participants and also take them through a curriculum on using the technology,
collaborating on ideas and shared visions, and coming up with strategies for taking medicine or
transitioning to college life as a transplant patient. Several of the participants developed face to
face friendships as a result of Zora and one used her experience on Zora to educate her teacher
and classmates about the impact of organ donation. Though the study size was small, the
research indicates that the use of a virtual community could provide support to an isolated and
This article supports my research interests in several ways. First, it described how the
author of another one of my annotation articles used the virtual environment Zora in different
and complex ways. I am interested in virtual community platforms that are flexible and easily
adapted for unique purposes. For instance, many organizations work with multiple kinds of
volunteers; therefore, one standard virtual community might not meet everyone’s needs. Rather
than forcing organizations to purchase and learn multiple platforms, it seems most appropriate to
think about adapting existing ones for new purposes. This is important as I consider the platform
I might utilize in creating virtual communities for the volunteers I work with; we have been
leaning towards Moodle because it is free and fairly adaptable. This article made me wonder if
there were elements that existed in Zora specifically that created this outcome or if it was the role
of the facilitators and developers in designing that environment. Essentially, it made me think
seriously about the TPACK framework of Zora in relation to Moodle. I think I can incorporate
Research Development Paper 10
the elements of Zora that were successful in this study into my own research. Second, this article
made critical points about the ways in which virtual communities can support vulnerable and
underserved youth populations in out of school settings. Volunteers could be trained to facilitate
virtual communities and engage populations of youth who might not otherwise be able to
mentoring compared to face-to-face mentoring are widely disputed, particularly because it has
the potential to be inconsistent and impersonal and is difficult to monitor from a case and risk
management perspective. The results of this study could be useful in developing an e-mentoring
community that would address some of the concerns of e-mentoring. It would allow us to reach a
population of youth not currently being served. If I were to develop a community like this for
youth and mentors, I would create common spaces for everyone as one group, for just mentors,
and for just youth. Then each mentoring pair would have a private space (accessible only to them
and the program staff) to communicate with one another and develop a more intimate
relationship. This approach would not only keep people engaged in e-mentoring, but also be
easily monitored. Finally, this article points to some of the ways in which virtual communities
community is transformative enough (as this study indicates), he or she may be compelled to
civic engagement online and then track to see if it transfers to their behavior offline.
Cravens, J. (2006). Involving international online volunteers: factors for success, organizational
Research Development Paper 11
in the developing world deemed “outstanding” by the United Nations Volunteer Program
between 2002-2005. The goal of the survey was to identify how virtual volunteers are thought of
in relation to staff members, how organizations provided support to online volunteers, how
online volunteers built organizational capacity, and the necessary infrastructure of organizations
who utilize virtual volunteers. Cravens provides a standard definition of virtual volunteering:
volunteer activities that are completed, in whole or in part, via the Internet on a home, work, or
Organizations need to have staff with excellent communication and literacy skills as well as the
technology capabilities. These organizations shared that they used virtual volunteers to do many
of the things asked of their onsite volunteers, but that virtual international volunteers also offered
a more global perspective and increased diversity. Some of the critical factors for success
mentioned included: frequent and timely communication, regular reporting, stringent screening
and pre-service requirements, clear instructions and position description, and placing virtual
As someone who has worked in the field of volunteer management and is very familiar
with research on best practices in the field, Cravens’ article helped me to connect what I know
about face-to-face volunteers with virtual volunteers. Milton Boyce pioneered the ISOTURE
model of volunteer management, which stands for interview, screen, orient, train, utilize,
recognize, and evaluate. All of these components need to be actualized in order to run highly
effective volunteer programs. This article helped me to better understand how the ISOTURE
Research Development Paper 12
model would translate to virtual volunteers. It was clear that requirements for online volunteers
should not be less rigorous than an organization requires for its face-to-face volunteers.
Additionally, online volunteers need frequent communication and feedback in order to keep
them motivated. In sum, the article helped to demystify virtual volunteers and provide
information about necessary components to consider when including virtual volunteers as part of
an organization. I will use these results to inform my research related to online volunteers and
virtual training and support for face-to-face volunteers. Currently, the training period is used to
not only give volunteers the skills they need for their job, but also to build a relationship with
program staff who provide the training. I am particularly interested in studying this to know if
volunteers need face-to-face time with staff as a part of developing a deep and lasting connection
to that organization. One thing this article inspired in me was the desire to compare two
randomly assigned groups of volunteers serving in the same area to see if their satisfaction with
their volunteer experience and volunteer outcomes were less than, greater, or equal to one
another if one group was provided with face-to-face training and the other group experienced all
Guthrie, K., & McCracken, H. (2010). Making a difference online: facilitating service-learning
In this article, Guthrie and McCracken discuss two case studies of online service-learning
courses at the University of Illinois Springfield. The researchers discuss the role of service-
learning in helping universities meet their service mission within the context of new trends in
increased enrollment in online courses. In the courses described, some students choose to
volunteer virtually while others select local service organizations approved by the university.
Research Development Paper 13
Students are required to complete 60 hours of service during the course of the semester and also
create a personal service action plan in which they tie learning outcomes to their service
activities and indicate what resources might be needed to support their learning. They also create
indicators that will measure that outcomes are being met. Students also are required to participate
in reflection on their service, a critical component of service learning pedagogy, in both public
and private (discussion forums and journals) ways on the online learning platform. The case
studies show that service learning is effective in online courses and that the majority of the
challenges are very similar to general challenges associated with virtual learning. Many students
This article informs my research because it shows that the benefits of service learning
pedagogy can translate to an online educational environment. As with all online courses, careful
attention needs to be paid to how discussion questions and assignments are written and
facilitated. In my experience, service learning can intimidate educators and I would assume that
this would carry through to apply to virtual learning. However, the benefits of experiential
learning, increased civic engagement, and connection to the community appear to be worth the
additional efforts required to make service learning successful. In my own research, I will
consider how the learning activities described in the case study could translate to non-formal
experiential civic engagement opportunities for youth through technology. One way of studying
this would be to engage youth in out-of-school time in a virtual community where concepts of
teen leadership, citizenship, and civic engagement were taught and promoted and they were
challenged to complete volunteer hours in the community and then come back to the virtual
community to reflect personally and as a group on the experience. Interactions in the community
could be facilitated by adult volunteers who were interested in exploring virtual volunteering.
Research Development Paper 14
These adults could also play a role in identifying service opportunities for young people in their
local community.
Kollack, P., & Smith, M. (Ed.). (1999). Communities and cyberspace. New York, NY:
Routledge.
In the book chapter entitled, “Net surfers don’t ride alone: Virtual communities as
communities,” authors Barry Wellman and Milena Gulia discuss the role of the Internet in the
changing scope of community. They discuss the extreme views taken by both advocates and
critics of the Internet and explain how they are not research-based; rather, these viewpoints tend
to ignore important information and put Internet usage in context. Originally written in 1997, this
piece describes the different kinds of social ties fostered by the Internet and how online
communication both positively and negatively affects the speed at which these relationships
grow. In many cases, Internet communities mirror more generally the cultural trend where
Because this book chapter was written in 1997, the information it contains is valuable
from a historical perspective. Though many of the functions discussed in the article (Internet
Relay Chat, Electronic Bulletin Boards, etc.) are outmoded forms of online communication, it
was interesting to see how much of the debate surrounding the ability to foster a sense of
community online remains the same. Conversations about the Internet increasing diversity,
building social capital, and connecting people both locally and globally continue today. Much of
the research that Wellman and Gulia seek for further information has been conducted; however,
the ongoing conversation continues because new forms of technology are always emerging. As I
consider the implications of this for my own research, it becomes apparent that it is more useful
Research Development Paper 15
to think not necessarily of the types of technology that exist (i.e., IRC, social networking,
MMOs, MUDs, etc) but instead to consider the functions of these tools. Though the
sophistication of these technologies has evolved, their essence remains the same. Because the
Internet is driven by people hoping to better educate, connect, and entertain themselves, new
tools arise based on socio-cultural trends. As someone who is interested in better understanding
the role of technology in community life and education, I need to remember not to become too
personally invested in one particular technology; rather, I need to be mindful of the affordances
article is the concept of how technology can affect the growth of relationships. Relationships
with staff and other volunteers can be crucial to the satisfaction and retention of volunteers.
Many volunteer organizations are not able to get their volunteers together to participate in
community building events regularly because of divergent schedules and cost. It would be
interesting to study if virtual support groups or virtual community events or trainings are a way
to address this need for community while considering time and cost effectiveness. I am not sure
how this could be measured; perhaps by doing a long term study of two randomly assigned
groups of volunteers – one who participates in virtual community events and the other group
who does not. They could then be asked to gauge their satisfaction and level of commitment to
the organization. Long term commitment to a volunteer organization is very important in the
field due to the high cost of training, screening, and supporting a volunteer.
Steinkuehler, C., & Williams, D. (2006). Where everybody knows your (screen) name: Online
In this article, Steinkuehler and Williams argue that massively multiplayer online games
interact with one another, collaborate, and participate in dialogue. Their theoretical framework
combines two approaches; first, they discuss MMOs as a virtual “third space” as defined by
Oldenburg (1999) and second, they examine MMOs’ ability to develop an individual’s social
capital as defined by Putnam (2000). The authors combine quantitative and qualitative
approaches, examining data from 750 randomly assigned participants in the quantitative portion
and conducting an ethnography of game participants over the course of two years. Their results
indicate that the structure of the MMOs studied fit Oldenburg’s criteria for “third spaces”
(neutral ground, level playing field, conversation is the main activity, accessibility and
accommodation, presence of regulars, ability to maintain a low profile, a playful mood, and a
home away from home). As such, the players are likely to build bridging social capital (i.e. the
ability to connect with new people and experience different ideas) but do not often build bonding
social capital (deep personal connections). The authors are able to clearly make the case that
video games can function as a “third space;” however, I do not feel as though they effectively
argue that participation in MMOs build social capital beyond the world of the MMO.
This article informs my research by helping me to consider the roles of games in virtual
volunteer communities. Games provide participants with an opportunity to take on roles and
have a purpose while in an online community. Additionally, learning games are one effective
way to keep participants engaged in an online community rather than having them read
information and answer questions. For instance, we work with a group of 4-H volunteers who
teach kids archery and other shooting sports. Much of their training currently involves proper
mechanics of shooting sports as well as being able to identify and prevent risk management
Research Development Paper 17
issues involving youth and shooting apparatuses. Online games could be an engaging way for
them to master this content and participate in role playing activities with one another. Having
this added functionality could show individuals who might be hesitant to participate in a virtual
prior to their enrollment and to see how that changes over time in relation to what they see as
valuable within that community. For instance, are volunteers motivated to participate because it
is a good opportunity to further develop their skills and/or are they motivated because they can
develop a connection to other individuals who are interested in the same subject as they are?
Additionally, the authors make a good case about how much conversation goes on in MMOs that
does not necessarily relate to the game; instead, individuals learn about one another in an
environment where real world hierarchies matter less. In this way, the MMO is less of a game
and more of a virtual community. To this end, it would be interesting to assess if a virtual
community inhabited by volunteers and staff changes the dynamic between staff and volunteers
in a positive or negative way. For instance, it might create a stronger bond and increase retention
but it could also create boundary confusion between staff and volunteers.
As we approach the end of our first semester in the hybrid EPET doctoral program, I
consider how I will continue to further my research goals beyond this semester. In reflecting on
the process of writing my research development paper, it became clear that this is still the area in
by the hundreds of volunteers and staff who rely on me for support as they work with youth. I
have found that technology has been an invaluable resource and I am passionate about the ways
Research Development Paper 18
in which it can improve our programming with volunteers and youth. Throughout the experience
of developing my research interests, the information I have encountered has given me exciting
ideas to enhance my work. In turn, my work will continue to drive and inform my research
interests.
Over the next few months, the focus of my job will be shifting to allow for an even
implement some of the many ideas that have come to me during this process. For instance, I will
be piloting one of our day-long face-to-face workshops for staff development as a three week
online course. This small project will help me better understand how hard skills can be taught
and assessed virtually. One of my new responsibilities will be to design a virtual community for
youth from military families in three states to learn about physical fitness and nutrition; this
community will allow them to track time spent outdoors engaging in physical activity. As is the
challenge with many grant-funded projects, I was asked to participate in this project after funds
were received. The parameters of the project are not necessarily how I would have designed
them; as a result, I will be relying heavily on concepts learned during my first semester in order
Prior to beginning the EPET program, I developed a concept paper that the
organization I work for, Michigan State University Extension (MSUE), is currently in the
process of marketing to funders. The concept paper proposes the development of a 4-H Virtual
Community of Volunteers (4HVCV). The goal of the 4HVCV is to provide volunteers with the
opportunity to connect to a larger network of 4-H volunteers, staff, and specialists to continue
their learning and build their sense of connection to Michigan 4-H Youth Development. MSUE
is one of 74 universities in the U.S. committed to using eXtension, an online community of land
Research Development Paper 19
grant institutions across the nation. Best described as an interactive learning environment,
eXtension offers research-based answers, trustworthy field-tested data, and an opportunity for
staff collaboration across states. For staff and volunteer development purposes, eXtension uses a
learning management system called Moodle and acts as the server host for committed partners to
operate their own Moodle courses. The 4-H Virtual Community of Volunteers pilot project will
include the development of virtual communities in the following four areas: general 4-H
volunteer training and support, and three program areas of 4-H shooting sports, 4-H rabbit and
cavy, and 4-H planned youth mentoring. The three program focused tracks will allow us to try
different approaches with volunteer groups who have diverse needs, therefore giving us a
broader base to evaluate the impact of the project in general. These four pilots will provide new
knowledge for future expansion in the future. Through this effort, the use of online 4-H volunteer
education and support will become institutionalized as a part of Michigan 4-H Youth
Development. The following paragraphs can better provide an example of how these different
groups of volunteers could be studied and what we could learn from them.
consistency across the state. Michigan 4-H volunteers will be granted access to the 4HVCV after
completing MSUE’s Volunteer Selection Process. This ensures that the volunteer is an
acceptable volunteer according to MSUE’s policies while also giving that volunteer an
opportunity to develop a face-to-face connection with a local 4-H staff person through
orientation. The online training component will lead volunteers through modules such as
Michigan 4-H’s Guiding Principles, philosophies on positive youth development, and basic
concepts on risk management. Participants will test their knowledge through Moodle’s quiz
Research Development Paper 20
capabilities at the end of each module. Additionally, this component of the 4-H Virtual
Community of Volunteers will include discussion boards where 4-H volunteers can
communicate with each other across the state, ask questions and receive support from 4-H staff,
4-H shooting sports volunteers are required to be certified prior to being allowed to work
with youth. Currently, this certification takes place at a weekend workshop held annually. Much
of this current training focuses on basic knowledge transfer rather than the development of skills.
Potential shooting sports volunteers come to 4-H with vastly different knowledge and experience
in the multiple disciplines included in the 4-H shooting sports program. For instance, some
shooting sports volunteers have a great deal of content knowledge but very little understanding
of their role as a 4-H volunteer – that is, providing youth with an opportunity for positive growth
and development. Others might be life-long 4-H volunteers who have never held a bow or a rifle
before but are interested in trying a new project area. The staff and volunteers currently leading
the certification workshop must find a way to keep both sets of volunteers engaged while also
ensuring that the content area is mastered. Requiring 4-H shooting sports volunteers to
demonstrate their knowledge in an online community prior to coming to the face to face
workshop will allow staff to focus on skill building and better meeting the needs of those in
attendance. Staff can more carefully craft the training agenda if they knew the strength and
In the 4-H shooting sports Virtual Community of Volunteers, volunteers can learn the
different parts and functions of shooting equipment and begin learning basic principles of risk
Research Development Paper 21
management. They can participate in simulations that will allow them to react to common
situations they will encounter when working with youth. Afterwards, they can be tested on that
knowledge to show that they are prepared to move to the next level of training, the in-person
workshop. By preparing the volunteers ahead of time with materials they can learn on their own
time and at their own pace, they gain confidence and are able to focus on mastering the skills
needed for certification. Additionally, those individuals who are less familiar with 4-H can be
reminded of the emphasis of youth development throughout the activities of 4-H. Preparing both
kinds of volunteers ahead of time empowers them to impart their wisdom to one another. The 4-
H shooting sports Virtual Community of Volunteers will also serve as a support system for 4-H
volunteers. Discussion board forums can be created to share best practices and activity ideas in
shooting sports, promote local events and learning opportunities, and connect with 4-H staff
4-H rabbit and cavy volunteers have needs somewhat similar to shooting sports
volunteers; they need access to resources and information on best practices associated with
raising and showing rabbits and cavies. Many 4-H staff members have some animal science
responsibilities; however, it would be impossible for them to be experts on all the different
animal projects 4-H youth undertake. In Michigan, the State Rabbit and Cavy Committee is
comprised of volunteers from around the state who have an expertise in that content area. In the
rabbit and cavy 4-H Virtual Community of Volunteers, expert volunteers will serve as “virtual
middle managers” and assist other 4-H rabbit and cavy club volunteers with their questions and
concerns. A 4-H middle manager is defined as a 4-H volunteer who has 3-5 years of experience
within 4-H; he or she provides support to newer volunteer leaders. Within the 4HVCV, these
Research Development Paper 22
expert volunteers can monitor and maintain an “ask an expert” discussion board, troubleshooting
issues as they arise and helping other rabbit and cavy volunteers with ideas and activities to
improve learning experiences for youth. They can assist 4-H specialists and staff in the
development of curriculum, activities, and resources that are research-based and age appropriate.
As with the shooting sports 4HVCV, these volunteers and 4-H staff can work together on
creating and posting videos that can help others prepare to teach content to youth and take a
“train-the-trainer” approach to better help volunteers educate young people. The virtual middle
managers will have their fingers directly on the pulse of the 4-H rabbit and cavy area as a whole
and provide feedback that will allow paid staff members to more effectively meet their needs.
The rabbit and cavy Virtual Community of Volunteers will allow volunteers to connect with one
4-H planned youth mentoring, like 4-H clubs, is a delivery vehicle for positive youth
ongoing relationship between a youth and an adult or older teen peer; group mentoring can also
occur but must not exceed the ratio of one mentor to four youth. Mentoring can take place in a
community- or site-based setting. Many 4-H youth development opportunities focus on a young
person’s learning and growth through mastery of a content area with the support of their adult
volunteer leader. 4-H planned youth mentoring promotes positive youth development by
emphasizing the relationship between the mentor and mentee as the primary focus, rather than on
growth through mastery of a project area. Many young people involved in 4-H planned youth
mentoring programs are at higher risk for involvement in social services and therefore have more
intensive needs.
Research Development Paper 23
Because planned youth mentoring is a delivery vehicle of 4-H and not a project or
content area, the 4-H Virtual Community of Volunteers for 4-H planned youth mentoring will
not teach mentors how to mentor. The 4-H planned youth mentoring Virtual Community of
Volunteers will act as a virtual support group for mentors who need an opportunity to share
successes and frustrations with others who understand their experiences while also learning from
the experiences of others. It will provide them with resources to better meet the needs of their
mentee. For instance, staff can post research-based resources on supporting youth who are
questioning their sexual identity, being bullied, struggling with an eating disorder, or facing a
teenage pregnancy. Because 4-H planned youth mentoring volunteers in Michigan typically
participate in a minimum of 4-6 hours of training prior to being matched with a youth, the
Virtual Community of Volunteers will not serve as a training resource for 4-H planned youth
mentoring. The face-to-face training helps mentors to understand their role, how to create and
maintain appropriate boundaries, youth and adolescent development, communication skills, and
issues related to the special populations 4-H mentoring programs often serve (i.e. systems-
involved youth). It is necessary to do this training in a face-to- face setting because much of the
success of a mentoring match relies on the staff member’s personal perceptions and intuition
regarding potential volunteers. Many 4-H planned youth mentoring programs offer in-person
opportunities for mentors to come together regularly to support one another. However, while
mentors appreciate this opportunity, it is often difficult for them to prioritize additional time
away from their personal responsibilities that are not directly spent with their mentee. Mentors
can look to the 4HVCV for activity ideas when they are in need of new opportunities to explore
with their mentee and share what has worked well in their mentoring match. 4-H mentors will
need to have the Virtual Community of Volunteers incorporated into their pre-match training, as
Research Development Paper 24
it is necessary to ensure that the identity of the youth is always protected within the discussion
forums for confidentiality purposes. Staff with 4-H planned youth mentoring responsibilities will
need to be actively involved in the 4-H planned youth mentoring Virtual Community of
Volunteers because so many of the issues or concerns that can be shared with another mentor
I hope the project outlined in the above paragraphs provides a clearer example of one
way I might pilot work involving technology to better support volunteers. I am still considering
the best way to identify sample groups for this project. For the general 4-H Volunteer training, it
would be relatively easy to compare the progress of volunteers who are provided with online
training compared to those who go through the traditional training; however, for the specialized
communities, it will be an issue of finding a sample that is representative of our population. That
is, my fear is that we cannot force participation in these communities and yet I know that it will
introduce bias in my findings if I evaluate only individuals who are interested in technology and
might be volunteer satisfaction/retention, volunteer’s gain in knowledge about the subject area,
and enhanced outcomes for youth supported by that volunteer. This project will be huge in scope
and there will be many lessons to be learned from it beyond those already explained. This will
have implications for how we train staff to work with volunteers with and through technology
and what we need to consider differently in developing online curriculum compared to printed
recognized at the state and national level for their research-based work with youth and
Research Development Paper 25
volunteers; I am confident that this is a project that we can do well and potentially shape the field
After nearly completing this semester, I realize how much I have learned and how much I
have yet to learn. Reading research related to the various components of my own research
interests has made me hungry to discover the places in which the various fields intersect. For
instance, is there an overlap between virtual communities and volunteer support? As students
engage in service learning through online courses, is the learning community transformed into a
“third space”? We understand what motivates students in online courses and we understand what
motivates volunteers – can those areas be combined to better understand what motivates
volunteers to give their own time to participate in an online community? There are many
questions I would like to answer and concepts I need to better understand, many of which are
The initial reading I have done for my RDP has given me many ideas to turn into avenues
for answering these questions. Prior to implementing any of these ideas, however, I need to
spend more time reading about good study design. My instinct is to always start bigger than is
feasible; therefore, I need to learn more about creating manageable sized sample groups,
recruiting participants for studies, assigning them to groups, training staff who will help me
deliver treatments and collect data to be consistent and uniform in their approach, and evaluating
my methods. Additionally, I need to learn to navigate the Institutional Review Board at Michigan
State University. Considering all these factors is very overwhelming to me; particularly because
the nature of my job gives me a large degree of carte blanche. I can do many different kinds of
programming with many different groups of people. Because my job has not been done by
someone else before in this organization, I have the freedom to take it where it needs to go. With
Research Development Paper 26
that freedom comes great responsibility to create programming that is based on research and
enhances outcomes for youth and volunteers. I hope that by continuing to examine how other
researchers approach these questions and by cultivating relationships with faculty members in
the College of Education, I will gain confidence and competence in designing research studies
and programming that will live up to my standards as well as the standards of the University and